The Word Precis
The word Precis comes from the Latin ‘praecisus’ and the old french ‘précis’ which means abrupt,
abridged, cut off, or shortened. The word Precis is pronounced with a silent ‘s’ (Pray-see).
What is Precis
A precis is a summary. Precis writing is an exercise in compression. A precis is the gist of a passage
expressed in as few words as possible.
Precis writing is summarising a comprehension in limited words, covering all the important aspects and
details of the passage given.
Qualities of a Good precis
What are the parameters to judge a precis writing? The following are some attributes that describe a good
precis.
Accurate and Precise
Clear and coherent
Well connected
Original
A suitable title
Essential rules for a good Precis Writing
After understanding how to write a precis, let’s look at a few tips that can help you ace your precis.
1. Begin with the basic idea of the passage to make the precis convenient to read.
2. Give a clear idea pertaining to what the reader is about to read.
3. While reading the passage, make a note of all the important points and include them in the precis.
4. Follow the main idea of the passage with the facts/points of improvement/ methods,, etc. as
mentioned in the comprehension.
5. Include all the important keywords and terms which are used in the passage.
6. Keep a track of the tenses you use.
7. Keep the text terse and up to the point.
8. Use shorter words. For example, use ‘because’ instead of ‘owing to’, use ‘although’ instead of ‘in
spite of the fact that, etc.
9. Make sure your text is lucid to understand. Avoid using jargon and complex sentences.
10. Retain the core of the text.
11. Your text should be a miniature reflection of the original text and should state the correct facts
and figures.
12. The length of the precis must be shorter than the length of the passage
13. Do not elaborate a lot on a single point.
14. Do not use your own interpretation, criticism, or assumption about the text.
15. Do not make assumptions or add information in the precis as per your own imagination.
16. Do not copy sentences from the original text or use abbreviations.
17. Do not break the flow of events and keep the text well connected.
18. Do not enter statements in the question format in the precis.
How to write a Precis?
Owing to the repeatedly mentioned importance of keeping a precis short, writing a precis requires you to
carefully understand the points that will provide the necessary highlights of the content. It might sound
easy, but comprehending a text and keeping its theme intact requires strong skills and a lot of
brainstorming. Here are the steps that can easily help you compose a clear precis.
1. Understand the text/narrative.
The main and the most crucial point is to read the text multiple times. It is possible that you might have
missed on some point or not have understood it. Reading it persistently can take you through some
overlooked points and explain certain points in a better manner. After perusing the text a few times, you
will easily connect through the points and also form a mental outline of the content.
2. Highlight and Divide the Text
Divide the text into smaller parts and make sure you use a highlighter to highlight the main details for
further reference. Create an order of the texts so that you line up each event and do not muddle up the
points.
3. Create a Mind Map
Before constructing your precis, have a rough outline or a map with all the points you think are necessary.
Read it and compare it to the text. You might want to add/omit certain points to make it more clear. Make
sure your outline follows the order of the text.
4. Writing your Precis
Start constructing your precis and make sure you compress the text by using shorter sentences and cutting
out redundancy. Make sure you keep a word count of your precis. It should be 1/4th of the main text. The
four main points to remember while constructing your precis are:
Add a suitable title for your précis which is in line with the content.
It should be written in the third person.
The text should be in indirect form.
Use appropriate past tense.
5. Review your Precis
Reread your precis multiple times and check for errors or grammatical mistakes. Compare it with the
original text and check if both the compositions exhibit the same themes and convey the exact message.
In the end, add the number of words used in your precis in a bracket.
Use of Precis Writing
People often want to go through the highlights of books, movies, meetings, an article, report, news, etc.
This is when precis writing works to deliver the main points to the audience without making any
modifications in the proportion, tone, or theme of the content. Precis writing plays an essential role in the
following areas:
1. Precis writing can be used to describe a chapter so that students get the gist of the basics.
2. Precis writing is also used in companies for job descriptions, meeting highlights, etc.
3. The use of precis writing is also seen in movies to describe the main events or plot of the film.
4. Precis writing is also used in scientific reports and researches to give the gist of its content.
